Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed it means a lot to me, I never thought I would have 13 reviews; I was counting on 4 at the most!

Everyone just stood there staring until Alex cleared his throat. "May I come in?" he asked.

Nobody replied. "I'll take that as a reluctant yes." said Alex stepping inside and closing the door.

"I thought you were dead" whispered Tom slowly. Alex chuckled. "Now you should know I'm not that easy to kill, my friend"

Tom chuckled and suddenly embraced Alex. "Dear," said Rose breathlessly after a while "would you care to introduce us to your… friend?"

"Oh," said Tom looking at James, Rose and lily as if he had just remembered they were there "of course. This is Alex Rider and Alex, this is my wife Rose James and his wife Leila."

James's expression turned from confused to shocked and then to anger. "Alex Rider?" he asked his voice slightly raised "I haven't seen you for 9 years." He continued in a slightly calmer tone.

Alex shrugged and looked awkward.

"Look, let's clear up some things. I went to school with Tom and James here and I had drug problems," he lied flawlessly ignoring the sharp look Tom gave him "but now I work in the military and they said you needed protection and so I volunteered to come here and you have to move to my house till the threat is exterminated."

Everyone was gaping at him. "Well," said Leila at last "that's a lot to take in at once." Rose nodded. "Why would we need protection?" she asked sharply Alex shrugged "and why are you covered in blood?"

"Oh that." He said "I came here immediately after a rather intense training. Tom would you show me where I can take a shower?"

Rose looked hesitant to let Alex go but Tom quickly rushed Alex up the stairs.

"So" said Tom "what did really happen to you?"

"Life" said Alex then quickly changed the subject "I wasn't expecting a big encounter. I thought I would only have you to answer to. I never even knew you were married! Somehow I never pictured you as a married man."

"Well" said Tom "you're not the only one life has changed." He looked concerned when Alex winced "Are you okay?"

"Came here straight away from a mission" Alex said "got a little concerned when I heard they were after you, so I tried doing everything too fast and got caught, escaped and here I am."

Tom shook his head Alex talked about his mission as if he was talking about the weather.

"Rose is a nurse. Would you want her to take a look?" said Tom.

"Nope" said Alex as he closed the shower door.

"I knew you would say that. There's a first aid kit under the sink, by the way." said Tom from behind the door and he thought heard a gasp and a "thanks" in an agonized tone as he went down to the living room.

Leila, Rose and James were all sitting on the sofa and nobody said anything for a long time.

"Well," said James at last "he has a nerve."

Tom merrily nodded.

I'm not too sure about this chapter. I honestly don't have an idea what a person says when they see a friend from the past who is supposed to be dead… I also think I have a lot of grammar problems; English isn't my first language…

So did you like it? Hate it? Was it too rushed? What do you think should happen next?